Hotwire Hotel: 4.5* Chicago (Downtown - Millennium Park - Grant Park) Swissotel Chicago

[cruizr]

Looking at a 4* or better in the Millenium Park or North Michigan Ave areas for these dates.  What should I be looking at bidding?  Most important features are free wifi and breakfast.  

 

Don't want to waste my time with a lowball bid to start.

 

Any advice?  Thanks!  

 

We're really looking at the Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown Chicago but I know we can't be guaranteed to get that one.

[AaronJB]

There's no way to bid for a property with breakfast and only a handful of hotels offer it downtown (and a few of them - the Hamptons and the Homewood - haven't been reported to the board in ages; the Embassy Suites properties are seen much less often than they were a few years ago.)  I'd suggest looking into Hot.wire or Price.line Express, where you can look for a listing with breakfast as an amenity. Are you seeing any listings with breakfast when searching on Hot.wire or Price.line Express for your dates? What would be your desired max budget per night for this stay?

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[cruizr]

Thanks for the quick reply!  Anything at $150 or so would be fair I think?  Breakfast not a necessity, just something that would be good.

[AaronJB]

I'm seeing a 4* in the Mag Mile-River North area for $142 (the price you see may vary slightly) w/:

• Free Breakfast
• Free Internet
• Pet friendly
• Fitness Center
• Business Center
• Internet access
• Spa Services
• Accessible path of travel
• In-room accessibility
• Accessible bathroom
• Roll-in shower

 

This would be a possible match for the Kinzie. If so, very nice hotel in an awesome location and free breakfast, plus under your desired budget per night.

 

If you are okay with any 4* in the zone, I think you could probably get a bid accepted in the River North-NMA area at the 4* level around $90-105, but you could start a tad lower.

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[cruizr]

Hey Aaron - how are you seeing the hotel for $142?  Priceline Express deals?  I see one for $136 with a guest rating of 7.0 - perhaps that is it? (you said the price I see might be a bit different).

 

But how do you get a listing of all the ammenities you listed?

[AaronJB]

Sorry, the potential Kinzie is on Hot.wire.

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[cruizr]

Trying to bid for a 4* in the Millenium Park, Loop, and Grant Park area.

 

I chose that area #7 and started at $100.  No go.  Added area #1 Franklin Park and tried again at $110.  Added area #2 Hyde Park and tried again at $120.  Still no.

 

I then found that the "median retail price" for a 4* in all these areas never changed from $244 regardless of whether I clicked areas 1 and 2 as well.

 

But....when I also add area #11 Skokie, the median 4* price drops to $181, even though there are no 4* hotels in that area.  It only goes as high as 3* in that area,

 

So what gives?  I'm gun shy about bidding while including area #11 in case somehow it ropes me into a hotel there, even though that star rating is not listed?  How can the median price for a 4* change by adding this area?

 

 

One other question - we need 2 double beds for sure (2 adults and 2 kids) - how can we be sure that the room has this?  Priceline just quotes double occupancy.  Call the hotel right after the reservation is booked and make sure the room we got can accomodate us?

 

Thanks!

[thereuare]

I then found that the "median retail price" for a 4* in all these areas never changed from $244 regardless of whether I clicked areas 1 and 2 as well.

 

But....when I also add area #11 Skokie, the median 4* price drops to $181, even though there are no 4* hotels in that area.  It only goes as high as 3* in that area

Ignore the median price as it's not accurate and not useful in any bidding strategy.

 

One other question - we need 2 double beds for sure (2 adults and 2 kids) - how can we be sure that the room has this?  Priceline just quotes double occupancy.

You can't ensure quad occupancy with PRICELINE... HOTWIRE would be a better option in this situation since they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search. While this usually means two beds in the room, the second 'bed' could be a pullout sofabed, rollaway brought into the room, etc.

Searching HOTWIRE for 2a/2c i see a 4.5* hotel in the Grant Park zone for $159/nite with:

Indoor Pool

Smoke Free

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business

Hi-Speed Internet

Tennis

... which i'm guessing is the Swissotel upgraded to the 4.5* level since the last time it was reported to the board (the lower rated hotels in this zone are actually more expensive than this 4.5 star).

Does this work for your plans? Your thoughts?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know how it goes or how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

[AaronJB]

I'd also second the recommendation of Hot.wire. Additionally, if that listing is the Swiss - and I think it is, as well - that property is in an excellent location. Lastly, I'm seeing this listing as a "daily deal" with 19 hours and 38 minutes left at the point I'm posting.

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[cruizr]

Hey guys - got the Swissotel for $159 per night through Hotwire and used your link - thanks so much for all your help and advice!  

 

We think it's a great deal - we bid up to $135 using Priceline and then just decided to go with what we knew we would get (based on what you said!) - we figured it was worth the extra few bucks for what looks to be a great spot.

 

BTW - I learned that if you sign up for their points program "Swissotel Circle", WIFI is complimentary with your room (usually there is a fee) - good info!

 

Thanks again!

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success. :)

 

Great win for this well-located property right on the river. Please let me know if you have any city questions.

 

Thank you for letting us know about the change in star rating for this Hot.wire property so that we can update the site's Hotwire Hotel List.

 

I'll also note that there's a beautiful Mariano's Grocery a couple of blocks away at 333 E Benton (great for snacks/drinks) and there's a beautiful park (Lakeshore East Park) right behind it.

 

Thank you for sharing your win and please use the site's PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start your purchases and searches.

 

Enjoy your stay.